Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
Nine Books on the Nature of Things
A fresh translation from the early Latin text with annotations and study apparatus
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Facing Pages · Branch 48 of 642
Book 1 · Generation · Passage 9
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 pp. 203–204
Latin
Sed nec generationis Homunculorum ullo modo obliviscendum est. Est enim huius rei aliqua veritas, quanquam diu in magna occultatione & secreto hoc habitum sit, & non parva dubitatio & quaestio inter aliquos ex antiquis Philosophis fuerit, an naturae & arti possibile esset, hominem gigni extra corpus muliebre & matricem naturalem. Ad hoc respondeo, quod id arti Spagyricae & naturae nullo modo repugnet, imo bene possibile sit. Ut autem id fiat, hoc modo procedendum est: Sperma viri per se in cucurbita sigillata putrefiat summa putrefactione ventris equini per quadraginta dies, aut tandiu donec incipiat vivere & moveri ac agitari, quod facile videri potest. Post hoc tempus aliquo modo homini simile erit, attamen pellucidum & sine corpore. Si iam posthac quotidie Arcano sanguinis humani caute & prudenter nutriatur & pascatur, & per quadraginta septimanas in perpetuo & aequabili calore ventris equini conservetur, fit inde verus, & vivus infans, habens omnia membra infantis, qui ex muliere natus est, sed longe minor. Hunc nos Homunculum vocamus, & is postea eo modo quo alius infans summa diligentia & studio educandus est, donec adolescat & sapere & intelligere incipiat. Hoc iam est unum ex maximis secretis, quae Deus mortali & peccatis obnoxio homini patefecit. Est enim miraculum & magnale Dei, & arcanum super omnia arcana, & merito in secretis servari debet usque ad extrema tempora, quando nihil erit reconditi, sed omnia manifestabuntur, &c. Et quanquam hoc hactenus hominibus notum non fuerit, fuit tamen Sylvestribus & Nymphis & Gigantibus ante multa tempora cognitum, quia inde etiam orti sunt. Quoniam ex talibus Homunculis cum ad aetatem virilem perveniunt, fiunt gigantes, pygmaei, & alii homines magni, miraculosi, qui instrumenta sunt magnarum rerum, qui magnas victorias contra suos hostes obtinent, & omnia secreta & abscondita noverunt: quoniam arte acquirunt suam vitam: arte acquirunt corpus, carnem, ossa & sanguinem: arte nascuntur, quare etiam ars ipsis incorporatur & connascitur, & a nullo opus est ipsis discere, sed alii coguntur ab ipsis discere, quoniam ab arte orti sunt & existunt, ut rosa aut flos in horto, & vocantur Sylvestrium & Nympharum liberi, ob id quod vi & virtute sua non hominibus, sed spiritibus similes sint, &c.
English
Nor must the generation of homunculi be forgotten. There is some truth in this, although it has long been kept deeply hidden and secret, and some ancient philosophers have debated and questioned at length whether nature and art could generate a human outside a woman’s body and a natural womb. I answer that it conflicts in no way with spagyric art or nature, but is entirely possible. To accomplish it, proceed as follows: let a man’s sperm putrefy by itself in a sealed cucurbit, in the utmost putrefaction of the horse’s belly, for forty days, or until it begins to live, move and stir, which can readily be seen. After this time it will in some manner resemble a human, yet be transparent and without a body. If it is then carefully and prudently nourished and fed every day with the arcanum of human blood and maintained for forty weeks in the continuous and even warmth of the horse’s belly, a true living infant will result, with all the members of a child born of a woman, but much smaller. We call this a homunculus. It must afterward be brought up like any other child, with the greatest diligence and care, until it matures and begins to understand and think. This is one of the greatest secrets God has disclosed to mortal humanity subject to sin: a miracle and mighty work of God, an arcanum above all arcana, rightly to be kept secret until the last times, when nothing will be hidden but everything made manifest. Though this has hitherto been unknown to humans, it was known long ago to woodland beings, nymphs and giants, for they too originated from it. When such homunculi reach manhood they become giants, pygmies and other great, extraordinary humans, instruments of great things who win great victories over their enemies and know every secret and hidden thing. Through art they obtain their life; through art they obtain body, flesh, bones and blood; through art they are born. Art is therefore embodied and innate in them. They need learn from no one, while others are compelled to learn from them, since they have arisen and exist through art, like a rose or flower in a garden. They are called the children of woodland beings and nymphs because in their force and power they resemble spirits rather than humans, and so forth.
Socrates
Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 1 · Generation · Book 1 · Generation · Passage 9
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
The complete supplied Latin–English edition of the historical title, dedication and all nine books, with 363 separately labelled historical marginal notes, 117 modern annotations and the complete Diotimos study apparatus. The transmitted composite work is traditionally attributed to Paracelsus; individual authorship remains qualified.
Historical Text and Translation
The normalized Latin follows the complete 1605 Frankfurt Palthenian witness, volume six, printed pages 198–271, in SUB Göttingen PPN578052199, historical scans 182–255. Earlier textual tradition is German; the individual translator of the 1605 Latin text is not identified. The dedication’s 1537 date is transmitted text, not an established date for the composite work.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
The historical Latin text is in the public domain. The fresh English translation and editorial material were prepared with AI assistance for Diotimos Editions in 2026 and are published with the site owner’s authorization.